January 2026 Legislative Update

“Silly Season” at the State Capitol

With the new year underway, the Wisconsin Legislature has officially entered the final chaotic stage of the 2025–26 legislative session. While Wisconsin is considered a “full-time” legislature, it typically adjourns by mid-March in the even-numbered year of the session (2026).

This session is shaping up much like recent ones. Assembly leadership has indicated they hope to adjourn by mid-February. Until then, the Assembly plans to use at least two to three remaining floor days to bring bills forward for votes. The Assembly will be on the floor this week, January 13 and January 15, and is likely to return next week, January 20–22. In February, additional floor periods are available from February 10–19.

The State Senate, meanwhile, plans to remain in session until mid-March, but with significantly fewer floor days. Senate leadership has indicated they will follow the pattern of past sessions, convening on the floor only one to two times in January, February, and March. While the Senate meets less frequently, its floor calendars are typically longer, with more bills taken up on each floor day.

Once both chambers adjourn sine die, they are not expected to reconvene until January 2027. At that point, legislators will return to their districts to focus on campaigning. All 99 Assembly seats will be on the ballot in 2026, along with 17 of the 33 Senate seats (the odd-numbered districts).

For WPRA, the focus continues to be on the reauthorization of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program (KNSP).

The current proposal—AB 315 and AB 612—authored by Rep. Tony Kurtz (R–Wonewoc) and Sen. Patrick Testin (R–Stevens Point)—would reauthorize the program through June 2030, but at a reduced annual funding level of $28.25 million (approximately $5 million less than current levels).

Amendments to these two related bills are expected soon and would modify the original proposal. The amendments would shorten the reauthorization period to 2027–28 and appropriate $4 million for local assistance grants. In addition, the amendments add a new limitation for grants awarded to governmental units, restricting other grant funding or in-kind contributions to no more than 30 percent of the remaining project costs.

Even with these amendments to scale back the original proposal, the path forward remains unclear. WPRA members are encouraged to watch their inboxes for upcoming action alerts as we approach this final push of the legislative session.